Houston Astros at Baltimore Orioles Betting Preview & Predictions

Houston Astros at Baltimore Orioles Betting Preview & Predictions

Darin Zank
Date: August 8, 7:05 pm
Location: Oriole Park
TV: TBS

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Hous -130/Balt +110
Total: 8.5

A possible preview of an upcoming American League playoff series is set as the Orioles and Astros kick off a three-game series at Camden Yards on Tuesday night. Grayson Rodriguez, a rookie right-hander, faces the challenging task of pitching against the formidable Framber Valdez for Houston.

MLB Betting Odds

Tuesday’s baseball betting market opened with the Astros and Valdez at around -130 over the Orioles and Rodriguez, with an over/under set at 8.5 runs. Both figures remained steady in the early betting action.

Team Analysis

Houston Astros

The Astros split four games with the Yankees over the weekend and are currently 5-2 over their last seven games. With an overall record of 64-49, Houston trails first-place Texas by three games in the AL West and holds the No. 2 spot in the AL wild-card standings.

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles swept three games from the Mets over the weekend and are currently 7-2 over their last nine games. With an overall record of 70-42, Baltimore leads Tampa Bay by three games in the battle for the best record in the American League.

Pitching Match-Up

Baltimore Orioles - Grayson Rodriguez

Rodriguez is 1/14 on quality starts this season but has shown signs of improvement in recent games. In his last three starts, he allowed five runs and eight hits through 17 2/3 innings, with six walks against 16 strikeouts. The Orioles are 9-5 with Rodriguez this season.

Houston Astros - Framber Valdez

Valdez is 14/21 on quality starts this year, with his most recent performance being an impressive complete-game no-hitter against Cleveland. However, he struggled in his three starts prior to that, giving up 15 runs and 21 hits over 15 innings. Houston is 12-9 with Valdez this season.

Hitting and Bullpen Analysis

Hitting Stats

The Astros are batting .242 against right-handed pitching this season and have recently welcomed back key players like Altuve and Alvarez. The Orioles are slashing .258/.331/.423 against left-handed pitching.

Bullpen Performance

The Orioles' bullpen owns a 3.55 ERA this season, along with a 1.31 WHIP and a 2.88 K/BB ratio. The Astros' bullpen has a 3.77 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, and a 2.63 K/BB ratio.

MLB Betting Trends and Totals Report

MLB Betting Trends

The Astros are 33-24 on the road this season and 44-36 against right-handed starters. Meanwhile, the Orioles are 35-21 at home and 26-12 against left-handed starters.

Totals Report

The unders are 56-55 in Astros games this season, while the overs are 58-48 in Orioles games. In Astros-Orioles games last season, the unders played 5-2. At Oriole Park, the totals are 28-26 this season.

Houston Astros at Baltimore Orioles Free Pick 8/8/23

While Valdez seems to have an advantage in the pitching match-up, Baltimore holds short edges with the batting and bullpen comparisons. Additionally, the Orioles have performed well against left-handed starters, with a home-dog price adding to their appeal. Betting Baltimore on Tuesday night seems to be a wise choice.

Free Pick: Take the Orioles +110
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